Dealing with the loss of someone we love is hard all year long, but at special occasions like birthdays or Christmas is it always going to be that that little bit harder, something Zelda Williams, Robin Williams’ daughter, knows about.
The 26-year-old took to Instagram yesterday to share a heartbreaking yet touching message dedicated to her late actor father on what would have been his 65th birthday.
Taking to the social media site to upload a throwback photo featuring her two brothers, Zach and Cody, her father and herself, Zelda wrote how she is never sure what to do on "days like today”:
“I know I can’t give you a present anymore, but I guess that means I’ll just have to keep giving them in your name instead.”
Mentioning the three causes she has helped over the past year in her father’s name, the actress, whose mother is film producer Marsha Garces, wrote how she is sure her father would get “a kick out of furry, four legged friends helping change the world, one warrior in need at a time.”
"This year I tried to help three causes you care about in one; rescue dogs, people suffering from disabilities, and our nation's wounded veterans, so I donated to freedomservicedogs.org," she wrote.
"They rescue puppies from shelters and train them so that they can be paired with someone in dire need of their help and companionship. Thought you'd get a kick out of furry, four legged friends helping change the world, one warrior in need at a time.
"Happy birthday Poppo. Shasha, Zakky, Codeman and I all love you and miss you like crazy. XO."
Robin Williams tragically died via suicide in 2014, and while his publicist said he was suffering from depression, his wife Susan Schneider later went on to explain he had Lewy Body Dementia, which can cause hallucinations, memory loss and depression.
Talking to People following his death, Susan said: "Depression was one of, let's call it, 50 symptoms and it was a small one. I know now the doctors, the whole team, was doing exactly the right things. It's just that this disease was faster than us and bigger than us. We would have gotten there eventually."
